Oregon Quarterly Summer 2022

Old Oregon

Double Vision

Devon Allen chases a historic twofer— medaling at the world championships and playing pro football

BY CHARLES BUTLER

G

ood thing Devon Allen possesses world-class speed—the month of May was a never-ending sprint. On a recent afternoon, and after three weeks on the road, he’s back in his Annapolis, Maryland, home. He’s traveled to southern California, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Puerto Rico, the spot from where he returned just hours earlier. What’s he been up to? Let’s see.

The two-time Olympian got his 2022 track season off to a fast start, with performances that included a record-breaking victory in the 110-meter hurdles at the famed Penn Relays. He’s closed on—and cleared out of—his house in Phoenix, his hometown. He’s hosted a couple podcasts and been the guest on several others. He’s overseen the UpGo nutritional supplement business he started. He’s red-eyed to Ponce, Puerto Rico, to go head-to-to head with Hansle Parchment, the 2020 Olympic champion. (Parchment narrowly won.) And one

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more thing: he’s started his pursuit of playing professional football, a long-held (if slightly delayed) dream since he was a kid.

“I’m busy,” Allen says, unable to stifle yawns during a phone interview. “I was busy before and I’m more busy now, which is not always the worst thing ’cause I’m doing stuff I enjoy and am passionate about.”

And stuff few people could even consider trying.

If all goes according to plan, Allen, BS ’17 (business administration), will pull off a rare double play this summer: win a medal in a major international track-and-field meet and win a spot on an NFL roster.

The first opportunity comes July 15–24 when he is expected to line up at Hayward Field—his home track as a Duck—for the 110-meter hurdles at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22. Allen will enter among the favorites. Last summer, at his second Olympics in Tokyo, he finished fourth, just .04 seconds from medaling. Then, this past June 12, at a meet in New York City, Allen ran a stunning 12.84, the third-fastest time ever.

Days after the world championships, he reports to the Philadelphia Eagles training camp. He’ll be an odd duck: a twenty-seven-year-old rookie wide receiver six years removed from making his last catch for the University of Oregon. He’s not fazed. He’ll bring speed—in front of scouts at Pro Day in Eugene in April, he ran a 4.35 for the 40-yard dash—and life experience few rookies take to camp.

“The coaches don’t need to worry about me being a professional and not taking it seriously,” Allen says. “I am not a twenty-two-

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